System and method for managing solid state storage devices in low temperature environment

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for low temperature management of a storage system. An apparatus may include a temperature sensor to generate a temperature reading, a timer configured with a time interval, a backup battery, one or more non-volatile memory (NVM) devices and a storage controller. The storage controller may be configured to: maintain a standby mode for low temperature management until a host electronic system has been turned off, start the timer and check the temperature reading when the host electronic system is turned off, determine that the temperature reading is below a temperature threshold, set the time interval based on the temperature reading, receive an interrupt from the timer when the timer counts to the time Interval, and perform low-temperature management operations for data stored in the one or more NVM devices using power supplied by the backup battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a temperature sensor to generate a temperature reading; 
 a timer configured with a time interval; 
 a backup battery; 
 one or more non-volatile memory devices; and 
 a storage controller configured to:
 maintain a standby mode for low temperature management until a host electronic system has been turned off and start the timer when the host electronic system is turned off; 
 check the temperature reading from the temperature sensor when the host electronic system is turned off; 
 determine that the temperature reading is below a temperature threshold; 
 set the time interval on the timer based on the temperature reading; 
 receive an interrupt from the timer when the timer counts to the time Interval; and 
 perform low-temperature management operations for data stored in the one or more non-volatile memory devices using power supplied by the backup battery. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the low-temperature management operations include refresh and back-up data stored in the one or more non-volatile memory devices. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the low-temperature management operations further include sending one or more user notifications. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein for the low-temperature management operations, the storage controller is further configured to prioritize and selectively back-up data for an operating system, critical programs and important user data. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to use the timer to count how much time has passed since the low-temperature management operations have been performed and use another interrupt from the timer to activate the storage controller to repeat the low-temperature management operations. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to determine that there is a significant temperature change when the temperature reading indicates that a temperature change has reached a temperature change threshold, and set a new value for the time interval based on the temperature change. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-volatile memory devices and the storage controller are part of a solid state storage device and time interval is further determined based on a variety of factors that represent a durability and lifetime of the solid state storage device. 
     
     
       8. A method for managing a solid state storage device in a low temperature environment, comprising:
 maintaining a standby mode for low temperature management until a host electronic system has been turned off; 
 checking a temperature reading from a temperature sensor when the host electronic system is turned off; 
 determining that the temperature reading is below a temperature threshold; 
 setting a time interval on a timer based on the temperature reading; 
 using the timer to count how long the host electronic system has been turned off; 
 sending an interrupt to a storage controller of the solid state storage device from the timer when the timer counts to the time Interval; and 
 performing low-temperature management operations using power supplied by a backup battery. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the low-temperature management operations include refresh and back-up data stored in one or more non-volatile memory devices of the solid state storage device. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the low-temperature management operations further include sending one or more user notifications. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein for the low-temperature management operations, the storage controller is configured to prioritize and selectively back-up data for an operating system, critical programs and important user data. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising using the timer to count how much time has passed since the low-temperature management operations have been performed and sending another interrupt to activate the storage controller to repeat the low-temperature management operations. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining that there is a significant temperature change when the temperature reading indicates that a temperature change has reached a temperature change threshold, and setting a new value for the time interval based on the temperature change. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the time interval is further determined based on a variety of factors that represent a durability and lifetime of the solid state storage device. 
     
     
       15. A method for managing a solid state storage device in a low temperature environment, comprising:
 setting a time interval on a timer based on a known environment temperature reading; 
 maintaining a standby mode for low temperature management until a host electronic system has been turned off; 
 using the timer to count how long the host electronic system has been turned off; 
 sending an interrupt to a storage controller of the solid state storage device from the timer when the timer counts to the time Interval; and 
 performing low-temperature management operations using power supplied by a backup battery. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the low-temperature management operations include refresh and back-up data stored in one or more non-volatile memory devices of the solid state storage device. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the low-temperature management operations further include sending one or more user notifications. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein for the low-temperature management operations, the storage controller is configured to prioritize and selectively back-up data for an operating system, critical programs and important user data. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising using the timer to count how much time has passed since the low-temperature management operations have been performed and sending another interrupt to activate the storage controller to repeat the low-temperature management operations. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the time interval is further determined based on a variety of factors that represent a durability and lifetime of the solid state storage device.